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Love Glenn Beck as You Would Love Yourself

I haven't heard Glenn Beck's call to "run away" from churches that teach social justice. Nor have I read much on the responses by the many -- see the God's Politics blog for a round-up -- who disagree with Beck. (So how do I know these things, you might ask? I scanTwitter feeds and e-mail subject lines and pick up the plot.)

Nevertheless (famous last words), here's what was on my mind when I woke up this morning:

Love Glenn Beck as you would love yourself.

That's a take-off from Matthew 22:36-40. If you are a Christian, you are supposed to love people first. Not agree with them first. Or disagree with them first. Or speak truth to their power first. You are supposed to love them first. This is an equal opportunity, ahem, encouragement. On both the center-left and the center-right I hear ugly caricatures of the opposition-du-jour. So a question to the wise: "What does it mean to love Glenn Beck as you would love yourself?"

As for Beck himself, he seems to have really stepped in it this time (did he mean to? that's always the question with show hosts), because it isn't just so-called left wingers who affirm social justice efforts in churches. As an example, The Heritage Foundation created and just released a DVD series for use in churches entitled -- wait for it -- "Seek Social Justice." (Disclosure: Yours truly appears in the video and study guide.)

By the way, here's some bonus sermon illustration material. You can substitute all sorts of people, and groups of people, for "Glenn Beck" or "your neighbor." To wit:

Love illegal immigrants as you would love yourself.

Love oil industry executives as you would love yourself.

Love President Barack Obama as you would love yourself.

Love President George W. Bush as you would love yourself.

Rodolpho Carrasco has served in urban ministry for 19 years and blogs at urbanonramps.com.

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